Plus, the history of Bok Tower Gardens.
 
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85º | 7% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:24 a.m. | Sunset 7:42 p.m.
 

We’re journeying “Bok” to the past

The history of Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, FL
A postcard featuring Bok Tower from 1930 | Photo via Florida Memory
Bok Tower in Lake Wales is undoubtedly one of Central Florida’s most recognizable icons. Before hopping in the car to take a quick trip and see it for yourself, allow us to get you up to speed on the history of this iconic landmark.

Born in the Netherlands in 1863, Edward W. Bok immigrated to Brooklyn, NY at age six. Spending winters in Lake Wales, Bok fell in love with Florida’s natural beauty. He would look out across Polk County and marvel at the peaceful landscape from Iron Mountain, a spot on the Lake Wales Ridge that’s 295 ft above sea level. It was then that he decided to build a sanctuary for birds + wildlife and call it the “Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower.”

An aerial view of Bok Tower Gardens in 1953 | Photo by Florida Memory

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Photo by Florida Memory

Once Bok had an idea, he needed a team to bring it to life. He reached out to landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. for help designing the 157-acre gardens.

The Bok Singing Tower was designed by another big name: Milton B. Medary, who was inspired by art deco and neo-Gothic design for the tower. The structure was built with steel, then covered by coquina stone from St. Augustine, FL and pink + gray marble from Georgia.

The tower has seven levels and holds 60 bronze carillon bells, the smallest weighing 16 pounds and the largest coming in at more than 11 tons. It gets its “Singing Tower” moniker from the way the bells seem to sing throughout the gardens.

President Coolidge, Bok, and their wives at the dedication ceremony | Photo by Florida Memory

Mountain Lake Sanctuary and the Singing Tower officially opened in February of 1929 with President Calvin Coolidge present. The sanctuary was renamed to Bok Tower Gardens in 1986 to honor Bok’s philanthropic contributions to the world. Visitors can walk through the Gardens daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dig a little deeper
Asked

Have you ever visited Bok Tower Gardens?
A. Yes, it’s my favorite place in Central Florida.
B. Haven’t had the chance yet, but have been wanting to.
C. Didn’t know it existed, but now I know the story behind it.
D. Cool story about it, but not really something I’m interested in.
Did we plant the seed?
 
Events
Tuesday, March 26
  • Tacos, Margaritas + BINGO! | Tuesday, March 26 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Back Nine, 124 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Snag deals on tacos and margarita flights while you compete for five in a row.
  • Molly’s Musicians Showcase | Tuesday, March 26 | 9 p.m. | Molly McHugh’s Irish Pub, 111 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Take the stage or support local musicians at this open mic night in downtown Lakeland.
Wednesday, March 27
  • Knit One, Crochet Too! | Wednesday, March 27 | 5-6:55 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Bring your current knitting or crocheting project to work and chat with others.
  • Pickleball After Dark | Wednesday, March 27 | 11 p.m. | SUN KAVA, 5711 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Head to this community hub for all-night pickleball, craft food, and deals on kava shells (plus karaoke).
Thursday, March 28
  • Community Brews | Thursday, March 28-Friday, March 29 | 12-10 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Price of purchase | Drink up and give back — a portion of all sales will go towards United Way of Central Florida.
  • Jellybean Jubilee | Thursday, March 28 | 4-7 p.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | Free | Celebrate springtime with an egg hunt, arts + crafts, games, and more family fun.
  • Launch Pitch Night | Thursday, March 28 | 5:30 p.m. | Catapult Lakeland, 502 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | See local entrepreneurs pitch their businesses for a chance at up to $10,000 in microgrants.
  • Trivia Night: 80s Night | Thursday, March 28 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free entry | Answer totally tubular trivia questions and enjoy happy hour prices in the Rooftop Bar.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
News Notes
Travel
  • Get ready for takeoff. Avelo Airlines will announce its new routes from Lakeland International Airport tomorrow, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. The public is invited to see the announcement live at the airport’s terminal building (3900 Don Emerson Dr.).
Community
  • PCPS’ District Advisory Council will host countywide town halls over the next month to answer questions + collect feedback on new school start times. Attend the next Lakeland meeting on Monday, April 1, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Dream Center (635 W. 5th St.). (The Ledger)
Number
  • $345,000. That’s the average sale price for a home in Lakeland — and one of the reasons more people are moving to Polk than any other county in the US. Other reasons cited include lower property taxes and college opportunities. (Fox 13 News)
Edu
  • Florida Polytechnic University has announced its five finalists for the institution’s next president. Next, the finalists will have in-person interviews with the University’s Board of Trustees, along with campus forums with faculty, staff, and students.
Open
  • Amonie Jo’s, the newest member of Lakeland’s coffee scene, is now open at 401 S. Florida Ave. (below the Curated Collective). Need a recommendation? City Editor Connor loves the house blend coffee with Cafe Creole syrup, and Amelia can’t get enough of the famous chai latte.
Real Estate
  • The historic building at 122 E. Main St. that currently houses My Office & More and Divicious Deli is getting a new owner. Cory Petcoff of Baron Realty will purchase the building on April 1. No changes have been announced yet. (LkldNow)
Closing
  • Street Cafe will close up shop on Tuesday, April 30. Owners of the Egyptian street food eatery cited family life changes as the reason for closing, but they hope they will reopen again one day in the future.
History
  • First Baptist Institutional Church (930 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) is celebrating its 140th birthday this year. The house of worship was Lakeland’s first Black church and has had only nine pastors in its history. Anyone know where we can get 140 birthday candles? (LkldNow)
Holiday
  • Speaking of Bok Tower Gardens, mark your calendars for its 98th annual Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 31. The service will include carillon music, hymns, and an inspirational message. Admission is free until 8 a.m., with donations accepted.
Learn
  • Immerse yourself in history through a walking tour of Bartow’s historic Evergreen and Palm Cemeteries on Saturday, April 6 at 11 a.m. Attendees will learn about the legacies of Black pioneers — no registration required.
Cause
  • Community members will rappel down the Lakeland Electric building in support of youth mental health during Pace Center for Girls’ Ten Story Challenge on Friday, May 3. Want to join in on the action? Sign up + raise $500 and you can be part of the lineup, too.
Try This
Open
  • What does it look like when living spaces are designed around self-care? See how this new apartment community used biophilic design, wellness-centered amenities, and a strong sense of community to cultivate a Lakeland sanctuary.*
Plan Ahead
  • Psst — Taxes are almost due. Use E-file for quick, online filing. Plus, file your federal taxes for free with their basic software plan.*
 
Drink

🏆 And the winner is...

Vote in LALtoday’s coffee shop bracket
A graphic announcing Andrew's Coffee as the winner of the LALtoday coffee bracket next to a photo of a hand holding a cup of a coffee against an Andrew's Coffee sign.
Congratulations to the winner of the LALtoday coffee bracket, Andrew’s Coffee. | Graphic by 6AM City, photo by @thelaltoday.
And the bracket winner is… Andrew’s Coffee, voted best coffee shop in Lakeland by our readers and social media followers in our LALtoday coffee shop bracket.

While this concept is no longer named “happyfastdelicious,” it’s still the core of how it conducts business. Fans told us they voted for Andrew’s because they can’t get enough of the tasty, customizable concoctions whipped up by the speedy + friendly staff.

Need some order inspiration? City Editor Amelia keeps reaching for the iced caramel macchiato while Connor can’t stop raving about the iced truffle mocha latte — with a gummy worm on the side, of course.

We want to extend a major “thank you” to all of you for participating in our bracket challenge the past few weeks. We’ve had a blast seeing how the votes shook out, and we hope you did too.

Looking for more coffee shops around town? Check out our guide.
The Buy
The Avryn & Co. wristlet sets. Bop around with all of your essentials and look stylish doing it.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Amelia
From the editor
Thank you to all the readers and coffee shop owners who participated in our coffee shop bracket. It was amazing to watch this tight-knit community come together and root for one another + reminds me yet again why Lakeland is the best city ever.
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